Question:
I operate a SME (small and medium enterprise), and have just hired an intern to help out in my company over the next few months. How can I best manage my intern so that we have a mutually beneficial working arrangement?

Answer:
Firstly, you need to understand that an intern is fundamentally unlike your average employee, for the very simple fact that he or she lacks proper working experience. An intern’s goal is generally to gain valuable work experience in an industry that (hopefully) interests him or her, and this internship usually is undertaken while he or she is still in school or has recently graduated.

Question:
My employee just informed me that he has had a job offer from another company and in accepting this offer, given me his one month’s notice. This is a hardworking and capable employee who I’ve always been able to rely on, and it will take me months to recruit and train a suitable replacement. How can I make him stay? Should I extend a counter-offer to him?

Answer:
Whoa, hold your horses! Before you rush out a counter-offer, take some time to consider the implications if your attempt turns out to be successful, and keeping your employee turns out to be a Pyrrhic victory.

By Png Han Yong

As the boss, you may feel that you have the freedom to say whatever you’d like to your employees. But keep in mind that you should still be mindful of your words, as a slip of the tongue could destroy the working rapport you have with your employees.

Regardless of intention, the following seven phrases should always be avoided unless you wish to be known as a boorish and harsh boss:

By Gerald Goh

Good communication with your boss is a well-worn cliché, but a particular point bears repeating – there are just some no-go’s when it comes talking with your boss, regardless of whether it’s in a personal or professional capacity.

By Julailah Wahid

I had my first taste of female independence at the tender age of six, when Shania Twain sang about the perks of being a woman.

Question:

Recently I took my first medical leave of the current year. But when I tried to rest at home, my mind kept drifting back to work-related matters. The sense of guilt I experienced about not being able to work was overwhelming and I kept thinking that I should have just gone back to work instead. How do I stop feeling so bad about taking medical leave?

By Png Han Yong

Firing an under-performing employee can be a daunting task for managers. Besides the paperwork involved, the entire process often involves tears, anger and denial. All this drama can thus make a manager look like the bad guy derailing a person’s career.

By: Alythea Ho

Had a bad case of Monday blues? Hold back that angry tweet or Facebook rant about your boss first.

An employer survey by JobsCentral found that 75% of managers and hirers use online channels to snoop on job candidates. Of these, one in three say they prefer using social media sites like LinkedIn (38%) and Facebook (34%). Search engines ranked third at 28 per cent.

By Julailah Wahid

We’ve covered the ways to tackle the tricky question “What are your weaknesses?”

But if you ask me, the hardest thing to answer at a job interview is “Tell me about yourself.”